Senate Budget Committee Hearing on Proposed Transfer of NJN

Live Coverage on NJN1 and Online: Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 4:00 pm (time subject to change)

The Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee conducts a hearing to review the details of the proposed transfer of NJN television to WNET and its radio licenses to WNYC and WHYY.Individuals confirmed to testify before the committee: State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, Neal Shapiro, president, WNET, Tom Bartunek, vice-president, planning and special projects, New York Times Radio/WNYC, Bill Marazzo, president, WHYY, Dr. Susan Cole, president, Montclair State University, Dudley Burdge, CWA Local 1032.

IDO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO NJN, WHAT I DO KNOW IS YOUR STAFF CERTAINLY DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE TREATED LIKE THIS AFTER SERVING OUR STATE SO WELL FOR ALL THESE YEARS. IT IS A HORRIBLE FEELING TO BE IN LIMBO OVER YOUR JOB AND FUTURE THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN. BEEN THERE.
THE PROBLEM ,TOO OFTEN, WITH POLITICIANS TRYING TO CLIMB TO WHATEVER POLITICAL VALHALLA THEY ARE AFTER IS THAT THEY LEAVE WRECK AND RUIN BEHIND THEM.
THIS IN MY OPINION IS WHAT IS HAPPENING TO NJN
WHATEVER HAPPENS I HOPE THAT IT WORKS OUT FOR ALL OF YOU GUYS AND THAT THE STATE WILL HAVE THE SAME QUALITY PROGRAMING AS BEFORE.
I GUESS YOU CAN’T COMMENT ON THIS BUT IF YOU WANT TO PASS ALONG SOME LINKS.SO I CAN CATCH UP I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
ALL THE BEST OF LUCK
VINCE
i

I was dismayed by the attitude of the State Treasurer toward the current NJN staff and programming. We watch the news each night after watching a national news show. At its end we always say, “Now let’s put on NJN and see what happened in NJ.” We would never know about NJ politics in such a firsthand way if NJN did not exist. “On the Record” and “Reporters Roundtable” are great forums for differing opinions of people in the know. I don’t think the Treasurer could be further from the truth when he disparaged NJN this afternoon at the hearing.